St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-27
THE WRECKED SCOTIA.
Most of the Passengers ON Board
Transferred to the shore.

NEW YORK, March 26.-The wrecked
steamer Scotia, of the Fabre line, now on
the beach fifteen miles west of Fire Island,
has been reached by the wrecking steamers.
A dispatch was received to-day from the
scene of the wreck by Elwell 81 Co. to
whom the vessel was consigned stating that
the sea was smooth and the vessel rest
ing easy. A telegram stated that those passen-
gers who were taken ashore yesterday after
noon had returned to the wreck to sleep.
Interpreter Heilley was wired for early this
morning to go to the wreck, as the Italians
were getting boisterous and unruly. Man.
ager Ter Kinle did not say anything about
the ship, and it is presumed at the office
that this implied that, with the above eX-
ceptiOn, everything was all right The
vessel is fully insured, the board of under
writers says. and the cargo is worth $780,
| 600, also insured. 1t consists Of Italian
merchandise and fruit. The stranded
steamer pounded heavily during the night
and worked over the outer bar and is now
lying between the outer and inner bars.
Owing to the heavy surf which is running.
the tugs and barges have been unable to ap-
proach near enough to the vessel to permit
| the tranfer of passengers and they will prob
ably all be brought ashore and forwarded to
| New York by rail. The hundred men.
women and children who were brought to
the beach yesterday were furnished with
shelter and food and made as comfortable
as possible. The present condition of the
vessel will prevent her from being readily
hauled off. The wrecking tugs will en-
deavor to anchor her to prevent
her from working further in shore.
| All the ScOtia'S passengers were safely
| ,tl,S - .N-nlnn
cutter U. S. Grant, with $50 of them on
board. started for New York shortly after
wards. The others were conveyed in sail
boats to the barge Haggerty. which lies off
Ranger inlet. The wind and sea have gone
down and the vessel is high and dry.
The statement of Capt. Ruffas, made
| to Mr.. Elwell, the agent of the line, and
reported by the latter TO an Associated Press
! reporter is in substance as follows: 1.-The
vessel encountered q series of storms, strong
head winds prevailing nearly the whole
voyage, but she Weathered them we'll and
sustained no more serious damage than
such as is usually incidental to rough
weather. This was the cause Of her being
so long overdue. About O'clock Thurs
day night Capt. Ruffas saw a
light which he thought to be
the the Fire island light and headed
the vessel accordingly. Shortly afterward
tremendous squall came up and the wind
blew at the rate of seventy miles an hour.
The vessel was steaming about thirteen
knots an hour and no one was more sur
prised than the captain when she struck.
He attributes the disaster to the mistake
in the light. the sudden squat which drove
the vessel out of her course. and strong
easterly current which aided in doing it. The
vessels masts were lost by their swapping
in two from the shock OF her striking. Mr.
Elwell said that he had examined the YES
sci and found it perfectly sound, and with
the exception of the masts as good as the
day she left Naples. The vessel is well
situated for being hauled off when the tide
and winds favor. She is firmly anchored
so that she cannot work further in shore.
An attempt will probably be made to-
morrow to move her. The revenue
cutter Grant arrived at Castle
Garden tonight aud landed 243 Italian
emigrants from the steamer Scotia. \
schooner will land the rest of them to-mor-
row. 1t was said that when rescued by the
crew of the Grant the Italians had been
two days without food. Their gratitude
was shown by their kissing the hands of
their rescuers. Lieut.. Wykoff at once Or
dered liberal supper of warm food to be
given to the famished people.